The heroic mindset

Over the last few months, I have been working with leaders who appear more weary than usual. They are hyper-busy, the world is uncertain, the people they support are more fragile than they used to be, and their escape routes are in lockdown.

Because this predicament will not disappear overnight, one of the few cognitive crutches I can offer these leaders is the notion that they have the capability to intentionally choose a mindset that will make the best of their circumstances (Frankl, 1985; Covey, 2004, Crowe, 2020).

Many disciplines - from psychology to theology - have pointed out that people can be more effective when they intentionally cultivate a mindset that will enhance their response to a given situation. When the whistle goes, you activate a performance mindset. When it stops, you invoke a mindset of gratitude. Being intentional about what you want to experience puts you in the best position to experience it.

Leadership coach Ben Crowe (2020) has spoken eloquently about three mindsets that could help make sense of our suffering in this age of uncertainty. The three mindsets are:

Purpose mindset – This mindset requires you to focus on what genuinely motivates you. It encourages you to identify the values, motivations, purposes and needs that energise you and to allow those to guide your decisions. The purpose mindset insulates you against the constant temptation to be lost in the noise of other people's desires and values.

Connection mindset – This mindset asks you to treat yourself like a person you have unconditional regard for. It focuses on enhancing your unconditional self-worth and self-acceptance. The connection mindset protects you against the relentless forms of comparison that can suffocate you in a media-saturated world.

Performance mindset – This mindset asks you to tune in to the cues that enable you to be the best version of yourself. It enables you to perform at a high level while focusing on processes rather than results.

Each of these mindsets offers an approach to the present day which encourages a wholesome yet bespoke engagement with the world. 

 I'd like to offer another mindset for our current age - the heroic mindset. 

The heroic mindset is a rejoinder to the stress and complexity of the present day. It asks you to reframe this stress, complexity and challenge as obstacles tailor-made for your growth. This mindset asks you to walk towards your fear, learn on your feet, ask for help and share your hard-won learning with others.

The heroic mindset is best illustrated in Joseph Campbell's hero's journey (2018). This is the story of the person who reluctantly leaves home in search of treasure, is helped along the way, encounters trials and tribulation, is victorious, dies, is reborn, and returns home with a prize. The hero's journey is one of our oldest structures for making meaning. It sits behind all myths, fantasy narratives and action films (Campbell, 2018). 

I have found it useful to suggest to leaders that they are creating their own hero story. Recast in the context of professional learning, and sometimes coaching, my account of the hero's journey goes something like this: 

You are not as feeble or as lost as you feel. You are called to an adventure - to step out of the ordinary world and do something remarkable. You could improve yourself. Solve a big problem. Serve others. Enrich the world. Yes, you are afraid right now. But you will have access to special people and special resources that will support you on your journey. Don't hesitate. Step forward. You will learn from your many trials. You will develop skills that enable you to fulfil your potential. You will master yourself and win the respect of your community. It will feel great to be at the top of your game but you will need to return to the place it all began and share your learning with others.

Supporting leaders to reframe their challenges as heroic provides a significant antidote to feelings of helplessness and anxiety. If anxiety is not knowing where the dragon is; heroism is consciously walking towards it armed with a sword and a good potion. If you are feeling a little stuck or weary, one potential way forward is to relocate yourself on the hero's journey and wholeheartedly commit to your next step. 

References

Campbell, J. (2008). The hero with a thousand faces. New World Library.

Covey, S. (2004). The seven habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. Simon and Schuster.

Crowe, B. (2020). The Dylan and Friends Podcast. Embrace your weird D. Buckley. Victoria, YouTube.

Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man's search for meaning. Simon and Schuster.

 Peterson, J. B. (2018). 12 rules for life: An antidote to chaos. Random House.